diff --git a/ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/udf/UDFJson.java b/ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/udf/UDFJson.java
index 9e7e05361f9b..a680e9cca154 100644
--- a/ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/udf/UDFJson.java
+++ b/ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/udf/UDFJson.java
@@ -239,11 +239,12 @@ private Object extract(Object json, String path, boolean skipMapProc) {
       indexListCache.put(path, indexList);
     }
 
-    if (indexList.size() > 0) {
-      json = extract_json_withindex(json, indexList);
+    if (indexList.isEmpty()) {
+      // Return null if index is invalid.
+      return path.contains("[") ? null : json;
     }
 
-    return json;
+    return extract_json_withindex(json, indexList);
   }
 
   private transient AddingList jsonList = new AddingList();
diff --git a/ql/src/test/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/udf/TestUDFJson.java b/ql/src/test/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/udf/TestUDFJson.java
index c2d1f42fb730..3b9849f95532 100644
--- a/ql/src/test/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/udf/TestUDFJson.java
+++ b/ql/src/test/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/udf/TestUDFJson.java
@@ -105,6 +105,9 @@ public void testRootArray() throws HiveException {
     runTest("[1,2,3]", "$0", null, udf);
     runTest("[1,2,3]", "0", null, udf);
     runTest("[1,2,3]", "$.", null, udf);
+    runTest("[1,2,3]", "$[1 ]", null, udf);
+    runTest("[1,2,3]", "$[ 1]", null, udf);
+    runTest("[1,2,3]", "$[invalid]", null, udf);
 
     runTest("[1,2,3]", "$", "[1,2,3]", udf);
     runTest("{\"a\":4}", "$", "{\"a\":4}", udf);
diff --git a/ql/src/test/queries/clientpositive/udf_get_json_object.q b/ql/src/test/queries/clientpositive/udf_get_json_object.q
index e5762c2e552b..c156e496ac19 100644
--- a/ql/src/test/queries/clientpositive/udf_get_json_object.q
+++ b/ql/src/test/queries/clientpositive/udf_get_json_object.q
@@ -64,4 +64,6 @@ get_json_object('[{"k1":[{"k11":[1,2,3]}]}]', '$[0].k1[0].k11[1]');
 SELECT
 get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '[2]'),
 get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '$0'),
+get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '$[0 ]'),
+get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '$[ 0]'),
 get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '$[3]');
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ql/src/test/results/clientpositive/llap/udf_get_json_object.q.out b/ql/src/test/results/clientpositive/llap/udf_get_json_object.q.out
index d2ae71c96b17..05e50c97b1cf 100644
--- a/ql/src/test/results/clientpositive/llap/udf_get_json_object.q.out
+++ b/ql/src/test/results/clientpositive/llap/udf_get_json_object.q.out
@@ -227,6 +227,8 @@ POSTHOOK: Input: _dummy_database@_dummy_table
 PREHOOK: query: SELECT
 get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '[2]'),
 get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '$0'),
+get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '$[0 ]'),
+get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '$[ 0]'),
 get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '$[3]')
 PREHOOK: type: QUERY
 PREHOOK: Input: _dummy_database@_dummy_table
@@ -234,8 +236,10 @@ PREHOOK: Input: _dummy_database@_dummy_table
 POSTHOOK: query: SELECT
 get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '[2]'),
 get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '$0'),
+get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '$[0 ]'),
+get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '$[ 0]'),
 get_json_object('[1,2,3]', '$[3]')
 POSTHOOK: type: QUERY
 POSTHOOK: Input: _dummy_database@_dummy_table
 #### A masked pattern was here ####
-NULL	NULL	NULL
+NULL	NULL	NULL	NULL	NULL